Ecosystem-level carbon storage and its links to diversity, structural and environmental drivers in tropical forests of Western Ghats, India

Tropical forests in the Western Ghats, India, store significant amounts of carbon (C), with an average stock of 336.8 Mg C/ha across seven forest types. Woody vegetation, understorey, litter, deadwood, and soil contribute 231.3, 3.0, 2.4, 15.2, and 84.9 Mg C/ha respectively. Live vegetation, detritus, and soil account for 65.5%, 5.5%, and 29% of total ecosystem-level C stock, with the highest storage observed in TEF III forests. Plant diversity, structural attributes, and environmental factors positively correlate with C stocks, explaining 6.7%, 77.2%, and 16% of variance respectively. These findings underscore the importance of the Western Ghats' forests for carbon sequestration and highlight their potential for conservation and management strategies aimed at enhancing C storage.

Kothandaraman, S., Dar, J. A., Sundarapandian, S., Dayanandan, S., & Khan, M. L. (2020). Ecosystem-level carbon storage and its links to diversity, structural and environmental drivers in tropical forests of Western Ghats, India. Scientific Reports, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-70313-6